Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Snowden asylum for one year on the condition that he stop leaking information about the U.S. The White House said it was "extremely disappointed" by the decision not to turn him over to U.S., which wants to prosecute him for espionage.

Baird also revealed that Russia once again found itself standing alone in the G8 when the issue of sexual minorities was raised at the previous summit in May 2012. Russia said it wouldn't agree to a statement that expressed support for the group.

"All G7 countries supported and that included centre-right governments in Germany, in France, in Canada, the United Kingdom," Baird said.

The Snowden affair and Russia's controversial law, which imposes heavy fines for spreading information about gay choices to minors, as well as banning gay pride rallies, appears to be casting a pall over next month's G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The White House said it was reassessing whether President Barack Obama would go through with plans for a pre-G20 tete-a-tete with Putin.

A spokeswoman for Harper says Canada does not shy away from raising human-rights issues in its dealings with Russia.